I accepted my part-time position at TranzAct primarily because the hours were flexible so I could continue to work at another part time job. Any port in a storm, right? There are group outings to minor league sporting events and a monthly birthday celebration with cake. When I started there was an annual employee BBQ with hot dogs and chips but that was cut out citing costs (probably the increased costs of the owners' season tickets to every professional Chicago sports team).

Cons

The positive reviews here do not tell the real story. Not only is the timing of these reviews is suspicious, the wording gives it away. I did not know any full time employee (FTE) that loved their job so much to give such glowing praise. Previous reviews seem much more genuine and reflect the work environment I actually experienced: FTEs are generally overworked and not so much challenged as pressured to meet impossible deadlines set by people who aren't responsible for the work. Nepotism runs rampant. The part-time employee's (PTE) experience is another story entirely. Like other companies, PTEs are paid hourly only for the time worked, without sick-pay, vacation pay, holiday pay, or bonuses. When PTEs complained to HR in a meeting *HR* called to clear the air and allow the PTEs to discuss unfair treatment (unrelated to hours or pay), they were told they should be grateful in this economy that they even have a job and the 10-min break during the 4-hr shift was due to TranzAct's generosity. Yet employees are strong-armed into taking that break and given assigned times. Ironically, the meeting was supposed to be about how the PTEs didn't feel valued, covering things like the denial of benefits that cost the company nothing: email or a network login ID. When your job requires access to the network or you can't take on more responsibilities without having access to email, and you are told repeatedly that "you don't need that" by your manager you have to wonder if they have a good handle on what it is you actually do. The explanation for PTEs not having email is that some people abused it in the past, so now all PTEs are suspect. If this is the attitude of HR, is it such a leap to believe that view is shared by management? Corporate perks, such as a discount with a certain cell phone carrier, are 'offered' to all employees, but the carrier requires a company email address, thereby making it a benefit only for FTEs. Other perks, like telecommuting, are only offered to the wives or friends of current FTEs who are hired on as PTEs specifically for telecommuting and not posted as a job opening available to all employees. Telecommuters are also not held to the same standards as those who work in the office. There is no feedback process for a PTE to improve. Training lacks a comprehensive approach, more slapdash than professional and is NOT done by the new employee's manager but rather by whoever is available with no consistency and no manual to work from. One employee was trained by another who started the day before! Job reviews, when done, do not offer any means of measuring progress nor are there goals set for an employee to work toward. Pay raises are arbitrary and for a PTE often non-existent. Some PTEs who have been with the company for years are treated the same as a newcomer with little experience. The general feeling is one of distrust. There is no incentive for the PTE to exert any effort, show any initiative or offer any form of dedication to the company. By not giving a PTE a chance to shine, they will lose anyone with real talent. They have a strict program for tracking how a PTE spends their work day. Any gaps in productivity will be questioned by management, literally, and the PTE must keep a log of every minute spent away from their desk. This elevates the culture of distrust to an uncomfortable level. There are many more examples I could give of unprofessional behavior across the entire company. Like how HR does not hold disclosures confidential. Or how Jean called a meeting asking for employee feedback, and the one employee who spoke out against the poor training experience and double standards was fired the next day. You aren't allowed to complain and still keep your job. Trust that the majority of reviews are negative and each of them holds a kernel of truth. This is NOT a place you want to be stuck working. If you do business with TranzAct, I question your professional integrity.

Advice to Management

Create a training department with a standardized employee training manual. Treat ALL employees with respect. Your success relies on their loyalty. Rewards carry more weight than punitive actions. Communicate with ALL employees about the status of company changes. They are terrified they will lose their jobs when you pack up and move the company to Florida. Hire a professional management team to run the company. Your emphasis on family and personal interests are guiding the company to ruin.

As a former employee of Tranzact Technologies, I thought the company was terrific. Although my employment was cut short due to family obligations, I enjoyed working for a company that was very focused on customer satisfaction as well as employee satisfaction. The salary was good, the benefits were good and the attitude was good throughout the organization. The many employee motivational "party" events were fun and made for a happy environment and stimulated people to do their best. I worked for the President and CEO and will always remember the generosity to their employees and the community especially over the Christmas Holidays. I presently work for a smaller company and haven't experienced a quarter of the events that keep employees motivated and I really miss that.

Cons

There really weren't any cons. My drive was long but that has no reflection on the company at all.

I have been working at TranzAct Technologies full-time (More than 5 years)

Recommends

Positive Outlook

Approves of CEO

Recommends

Positive Outlook

Approves of CEO

Pros

Friendly team environment. Great benefits. Management is open to ideas and/ or constructive critiques from all employees. Lots of perks- parties, outings, raffles, and lunches. Overall office décor makes it a nice place to work everyday.

Cons

Running out of space. Some offices are a bit crowded with cubicles. Possibly rent a few offices on another floor and move non production teams. (ie:sales and marketing)

Advice to Management

Integrate an hour a week for teams to meet with managers to discuss their successes and failures during the week. 30 years in business. Unheard of nowadays.